Ken Fowler from Mudeford in Dorset will be taking on the epic challenge of sailing non-stop around the Isle of Wight in a very small, single-handed dinghy – roughly the size of 2 bathtubs.
For your average adventurer, taking on this 12-hour epic Island sail would present a significant challenge, but, for Ken, the Isle of Wight represents the 262nd Island he will have circumnavigated and marks the culmination of a 4-year odyssey to become the 1st sailor to sail around every Island in England and Wales.
For Ken it has all been about raising funds for Cancer Research and Oakhaven Hospice in Lymington. Having lost his father, amongst other relatives, to cancer, he has taken on a series of sailing adventures in his very small dinghy ‘Yoda’ with the ambitious aim of raising £50,000 to help these life-changing charities.
Each Island has brought fresh experiences and challenges. Ken has capsized his boat under numerous bridges, dragged his boat through mud, waded it across shallows and sailed it over flooded roads.
On good days he ticked multiple Islands off his list, on others he barely bagged 1. The largest island of the adventure, Anglesey in Wales, took 4 exhausting sailing days to negotiate the 104 miles around it, whilst Longships at Land’s End took 3 attempts before the Island was finally rounded as the wind and tides constantly attempted to thwart him.
At times the challenge carried him 20 miles offshore in the attempt to round Lundy in Devon, conditions better suited to a yacht rather than a bath tub sized dinghy.
This adventurer, however, doesn’t dwell on the physical and emotional strain of the last 4 years.
Ken says:
“I’ve been lucky enough to have seen the most incredible wildlife. I have witnessed rafts of puffins off Skomer in South Wales, pods of dolphins in Cornwall and have been escorted around the Isles of Scilly by “Wally the Walrus” who weighed 20 times more than my boat! The most unexpected event during the entire adventure was probably having to rescue 4 teenagers trapped on an Island by fast incoming tides.”
“But more importantly, I have met the most generous and supportive people along the way. Their generosity in donating to these 2 life changing charities have helped support me as I tackle every Island, every disappointment and of course, every success!”
In total, Ken has now sailed over 1,200 miles around Islands in his 4-metre-long dinghy. That’s the equivalent of sailing from Lands’ End to the Canary Islands off the North Africa!
The date for his last Island sail, in his home waters, will be announced via social media and his website very soon – although it is expected to be in June.
You can find out more about the adventure and donate to these 2 amazing charities by visiting www.yodare.co.uk. There’s even a live tracker on the website where you can follow Ken on his journey around the Isle of Wight live – just click on the “Where’s Ken” tab on the website or use this link – https://cf.yb.tl/yodare2018.
